


God Is With Us...

by scorpyho



Series: name meaning: "god is with us" [1]
Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27265297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scorpyho/pseuds/scorpyho
Summary: A return of a previous character sees the team taking a personal case, and among it all, a secret is revealed about someone's past.
Series: name meaning: "god is with us" [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990801
Kudos: 1





	God Is With Us...

She could feel someone staring - following her. Every corner she took, every zig-zag she made, she felt the eyes. But she couldn't see anyone or anything suspicious. Even if she tried to catch them off guard, she never saw anyone. She couldn't outsmart them. As she walked in to work, the eyes remained. Would she have to check security cameras in the neighbourhood to find this person? If there even was a person.

When they arrived at the house, everyone was there. NOPD, FBI, CSI, and NCIS. Why such a big alphabet soup?  
"A lot of people here..."  
"Big case. We got a missing kid, a missing man, and gun shots and blood."  
"A marine?"  
"Nope."  
"Kids of a marine?"  
"Nope."  
"Why were we called in?"  
"Not us, you."  
PRIDE ushers GREGORIO to a room at the back of the apartment. Down a hallway filled with drawings that felt familiar. Like maybe she had seen these drawings before? Arriving in the room, she knew why they had called upon her. There was a wall plastered with photos of GREGORIO. Everywhere. At the doctors, at work, at the park for a Sunday stroll - even her when she was working.  
"Obviously, we've got a concern for your safety and the integrity of the cases you've worked on."  
"Do we know who the apartment belongs to?"  
That's when CARTER chimes in,  
"The apartment belongs to a RAFAEL HERNANDEZ. He's 19, he lives here with a little girl."  
"EMMANUELLA." - It fell out of her mouth before she realised what she was doing.  
"You know them?"  
"Yeah..."  
"Go on..."  
"I knew them back in DC. I grew up with their dad. MIGUEL HERNANDEZ. He's my best friend"  
SEBASTIAN clears his throat, trying to remind her that he is, in fact, her best friend.  
"Right, my best friend not from New Orleans."  
"Do you know why they would have these photos of you?"  
"No idea." She didn't want to admit it, but GREGORIO hadn't kept in great contact with the kids since she moved. A call to RAFAEL every now and then, a video chat with EMMY every so often. In all honesty, she didn't even know they were in New Orleans - she thought they were still in DC.  
"Well you and SEBASTIAN take the room, HANNAH, you talk to the neighbours. We'll look around the rest of the apartment. Hopefully we can find something that leads us to finding them and answering our questions."  
As the rest filed out of the room, GREGORIO was left with an emptiness. A whole that didn't exist before, but suddenly felt like it couldn't ever be filled again.  
SEBASTIAN was making himself at home, looking through all the five year olds toys, getting distracted in the childhood he wishes he still had sometimes.  
"Woah! I had this!" He says, picking up an old school video came console. He opens the wardrobe to reveal an arcade game of Space Invaders, he turns it on - for old times sake. The high score comes up and SEBASTIAN is suddenly in awe of this child. He wanted to meet the person who had beat his high score.  
GREGORIO was lost in the bookshelf. Full of books she had once read to EMMY when she needed to go to sleep, stories she had brought for the then baby and toddler. GREGORIO thought to herself "she can probably read them herself now". Then she came across a book that looked different. It was homemade. The cover was empty, but inside was filled with everyone's names. GREGORIOs, SEBASTIANS, PRIDE's - everyone's. What did this mean? Was the whole team at risk? GREGORIO brought the book to SEBASTIAN for a second opinion.  
"What do you think it means?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"What was your friends kids up to?"

HANNAH was tasked with speaking to the neighbours, getting as much information as they could.  
"Did you know the neighbours who lived here?"  
"Yes, they were lovely. Always helping us with our groceries when we needed it. Very kind."  
"Did you hear anything last night? Something that woke you up?"  
"No. I mean, there was the crying in the afternoon, but that's normal."  
"Normal?" How could a child crying be normal?  
"Yeah, something about the wrong pants or the wrong socks. I can't remember. It was always something was wrong. But he did the best he could. Always got her out on time. I don't know how he did it. Working, studying, and looking after her. He even found a really great team to help her too."  
"Team? Help with what?"  
"Oh, EMMY has autism. And PTSD. She struggles to communicate and so he was going to someone who was helping him to figure out ways to communicate with her. He was good about it too. Never made her talk or anything. He was the one who wanted the help - for himself, to help her."  
He sounded like the perfect brother, and the perfect guardian.  
"Was there anything that happened recently that you think might explain this?"  
"No...oh wait. There was that lady that was looking for EMMY. But I told her they didn't live here. I know about their past and so I didn't want her to know. I told RAFFY about her and he seemed really worried. He asked me to describe her. I thought she might have been the mom out from jail."  
"Can you describe the woman to a sketch artist?"  
"I can try, but we have security cameras on the front entrance. She should be on there."  
"Thank you, if you hear anything, please let me know."  
"Of course".  
HANNAH handed the lady her card and hoped the lady might call and say it was a big mistake and actually the two had come back from a holiday and it was someone else who got hurt in their apartment. Still sad, but a better ending for GREGORIO.

HANNAH joined PRIDE inside and began looking around the house - a lot of organisation and pictures. The fridge had magnets depicting daily activities and tasks - a means of communication if words were scarce. A board near the door showed some images already ready and telling the day ahead. Shoes, jacket, socks, and a backpack. All things needed for a day out, a day at school. But not necessarily taken when abducted.

Back at HQ, the team were getting themselves well informed on the two missing people. They had gathered a lot of information - some they wished they hadn't uncovered.  
"So the two live here by themselves."  
"Where are the parents?"  
"Back in DC doing time for child abuse and endangerment."  
GREGORIO was shocked. She couldn't imagine her best friend hurting the kids. Especially not RAFAEL. He was the first born and a son - prized material in a catholic household.  
"Reports of abuse were filed from 2018-2020, when they finally stopped."  
Images of the abuse appeared on the screen - photos of a burned child, with bruising all over, some x-rays of broken bones....it was too much. GREGORIO turned behind her and threw up into the trash can.   
"I'm gonna..." She points to the door, leaving the team to have their debriefing without her.  
"The mother was charged with abuse of a minor, and the father was charged with endangering a child and failure to report abuse."  
"Could this be them? Are they out of prison yet?"  
"The father is, but he was at his job in DC as of two hours ago."  
"What about the kids? What do they do?"  
"RAFAEL attends Tulane University, he's studying psychology. The girl attends a public school in the city. Actually...it's quite close to where you guys live." HANNAH looks to SEBASTIAN,  
"Well, I don't wanna say it, but how does a young adult afford an apartment in the city when he's looking after his sister and studying full time?" CARTER was always the skeptic, but he had a point. How did he afford it when he was only working part time?  
"I have that answer!" PLAME chimed in.  
"I was going over the record of ownership and he bought it outright."  
"Outright? That can't be correct."  
"It is. If you would let me finish-" PLAME looked at CARTER with impatience and annoyance, this wasn't the first time he had interrupted him and it wouldn't be the last. "-the money was provided by the parents. On a condition of the fathers bail and the mothers shorter sentence. They were to pay for an apartment for the kids."  
"Do they know where it is? Maybe they had someone arrange to kidnap them?"  
"No. Another condition of the deal. They provided the money without knowledge of where the apartment was. The only people who know are the lawyers and if they told, they would lose their jobs and their license." PLAME had done his research. He hated when kids were involved. Especially seeing this one was close to his friend.  
"Was there any abuse against the son? Or was it always to the girl?" How could anyone hurt such a tiny thing - someone so dependent on humans - SEBASTIAN thought to himself.  
"It was just the girl. However, I did think that maybe they had killed their first daughter." The team looked at PLAME with worry. "But she died of cancer a few years after EMMANUELLE was born."

HANNA decided to join GREGORIO outside in the courtyard. She found her at the table crying. Holding a blanket that looked like it belonged to the missing child. Something GREGORIO took from the crime scene.  
"She must been important huh?"  
"She is..." GREGORIO couldn't explain anything yet, but she was important. And she was missing. As much as GREGORIO wanted to have a pity party for herself, there was a child - who had been abused - who was missing. And it was her job to find her.  
"We're going to find her" HANNA reminded her.   
The two walked back into the office, the images were gone from the computer screen but not from GREGORIO's mind.  
"You take the girls school, SEBASTIAN and I will take the boy's university. Hopefully we can find something out then." PRIDE said to GREGORIO and HANNA. They split off into their groups - leaving PLAME and CARTER alone to simmer in the salty air they had made for themselves. Maybe one day they would be friends like he was with GREGORIO, but today was not that day.

At the school, GREGORIO was taken back to her childhood. Wandering school halls with her friends, studying in the library. They walked passed a playground and she could have sworn she saw EMMANUELLE. 'So now I'm seeing things' GREGORIO thought to herself - sure the eyes watching over her earlier in the week were explained by the photos she saw in the apartment. Now she was wondering...The two walked into an empty classroom. All the kids had gone home.   
"Hey, Miss CATHERINE?"  
"Yes, that's me..." CATHERINE was surprised to see two grown adults in her door - she was used to the pint sized kindergarteners she taught. "How can I help you?"  
"My name's HANNAH KHOURY, this is TAMMY GREGORIO, we're with NCIS" they showed their badges to confirm who they were. Making sure to do her due diligence, CATHERINE looked at the badges and matched the faces to the names. She could have sworn GREGORIO looked familiar. "We were wondering if we could talk to you about one of your students - EMMANUELLE HERNANDEZ?"  
"What about her?" Wary of anyone asking about this child, CATHERINE was hesitant to divulge any information - even to law enforcement. EMMANUELLE's brother had long told the school that they were lone souls, and it was just the two of them. He made a big deal when he hired a new nanny. Came in, told us it was happening. Showed us her photo, made sure we knew. Something had scared these kids into fear of being tracked down. How was CATHERINE supposed to know it wasn't by these agents?  
"She's been reported missing."  
"Oh dear..." CATHERINE didn't expect that. "When did that happen?"  
"This morning. Early hours. Did she come to school yesterday?"  
"Yes, she was here. Left early, but that happens sometimes. Although, it was just the nanny that came. Not her brother. He usually picks her up. But I guess he had to work or something." She wondered if she should tell the agents that EMMY wasn't exactly thrilled to see just her nanny pick her up. "Where raf?" she kept asking. But maybe it wasn't related? And it would throw the nanny under the bus...GREGORIO had wandered off to the window, looking at the artwork that hung above it off some string. Her eyes went right to the same artwork she had seen all EMMY's life. That same stick figure she taught her to draw.  
"EMMY did that. They had to draw something they were looking forward to. EMMY was excited to meet her mom."  
Meet her mom? GREGORIO and HANNAH didn't understand. Her mom was locked up in DC and the abuse she did to EMMY, why on earth would she want to see her mom?  
"Isn't her mom in prison?" GREGORIO questioned,  
"I thought the same thing. Apparently that's her 'pretend mom'. Her real mom lives somewhere around here I think. And that's her nanny, and her brother" Two other stick figures stood on the other side of the child. Everyone was happy.  
"Well, did you see anything suspicious recently?" HANNAH had to ask, making sure to stay on track. If they got lost in the life of a five year old, they might not ever get out. And time was a major factor in finding this child.  
"Not really. There was a lady at the gate one day asking if EMMY was in that day. It wasn't her nanny so I asked for her name. She walked off. I thought it might have been a family friend - or the girls mom."  
"Can you describe the lady to a sketch artist?"  
"I can do one better, I got the footage saved from security. I gave it to RAFFY to see if he knew her. It didn't look like he did."  
"...I'll...go...talk to security then..." HANNAH trailed off, letting GREGORIO know where she was but also giving GREGORIO some time with the teacher that new her best friends kid.  
"You know, she kind of looks like you."  
"Excuse me?"  
"The lady she's drawn." CATHERINE had to clarify, bringing the picture down closer to their view. "She was really excited to meet her mom ya know. I hope you find her soon."  
"Can I...can I take this?" GREGORIO motioned to the picture,  
"Of course! She'll be back to do more in no time."  
GREGORIO liked the enthusiasm and positivity, but she knew the statistics were unlikely.

As the two sat in the car on the way back to the office, the silence was inescapable.   
"How close were you to the family? Did you know the mom wasn't the mom?"  
"Yeah, they had trouble getting pregnant after the sister, so they went to egg donation."  
Silence fell back into the car, worry filled both of their minds - no one knowing what the day would bring and if they would ever find this girl - let alone alive.  
The phone rang and jumped both of them back into reality,  
"We have a lead on the girl."   
"Where is she?"  
CARTER looked to the child standing beside the security officer. She was much smaller than her remembered five year olds being. Her clothes were well looked after, her hair wild but brushed, and she was clean. There was no blood on her.  
"She turned up here..."

HANNAH couldn't drive fast enough. GREGORIO telling her to run red lights and put on the sirens. She wouldn't believe the girl was safe until she saw it for herself. As they arrived at the office, GREGORIO was out the door before the car even stopped. She ran into the office but there was no child to be found.  
"Where is she?"  
"She's in the kitchen. She was really scared so we let her sit there herself." CARTER was never good with kids, but especially kids that were terrified.  
"Your name was written on her hand." PRIDE told GREGORIO.  
The three walked into the kitchen, but it was empty. If there was a child here, she's gone now. But GREGORIO wasn't fooled. She asked the guard in the courtyard if a child had come out that way - she hadn't. So she began opening cupboards. All of them.  
SEBASTIAN had now joined them - "Are you hungry?"  
GREGORIO didn't hear it, or she didn't process the remark. She was focused on other, more pressing matters.   
Aha! "Hey Moo." GREGORIO had found the small child curled up in a cupboard among the pots and pans - her favourites.  
Although she was familiar with GREGORIO's face, she didn't come out. She was scared by the strangers she had only ever seen in photos.  
"It's okay. These are the people I work with." GREGORIO tried to reassure EMMANUELLE. But she was still hesitant. "It's okay. I'll keep you safe." GREGORIO offered her hand, to which the child took it. She crawled out of the cupboard and into GREGORIO's arms. Familiarity was important in a situation like this.  
After getting settled in with some drawing, PRIDE had a word with GREGORIO, quietly so EMMANUELLE wouldn't be able to hear.  
"We will need to talk to her TAMMY. I know you don't want to but it's the best way we can find her brother."  
"Okay," she agreed begrudgingly, "but I'll do the talking, you'll just scare her." GREGORIO knew EMMY better than anyone. She wanted to make sure she wasn't asked too much or overwhelmed. An impossibility in a situation like this, but a limit had to be set.  
"Hey Moo, can we talk to you?", EMMY nodded her head, but her whole body went with her.  
"Before you came to see me here, where were you?" EMMY stopped. She grabbed a new piece of paper and started drawing. PRIDE got impatient and went to speak, silenced before he could start by GREGORIO, who knew the process. Pictures not words. EMMY drew a quick doodle of her with a lady - one from the picture at school. Short hair, quite tall. And a house.  
"You were at a house? Was it like your house here? Or did it have a backyard?" EMMY nodded, "It had a backyard?" GREGORIO confirmed.  
"Were you scared at this house?" EMMY shook her head. "Safe." A single word that made GREGORIO feel a bit more at ease. She had felt safe.  
"Now, how long did you spend at this house? Did you sleep there?" EMMY nodded again, pretending to snore - imitating sleeping; communicating. And then she laughed at her joke. Reminding the team of just how young she was and how important it was to shield her from any fallout that may happen.  
"Do you know where RAFFY is EM?" Worried for the answer, GREGORIO held her breath. EMMANUELLE shook her head. She didn't know.  
"EMMY, do you know where your nanny is?"  
"EVIE!" EMMY exclaimed, excited at the mention of one of her favourite people. But she didn't know where she was either, so the excitement was short lived. "Want EVIE!" The excitement turned to anger and annoyance.  
"It's okay EM, thank you for your help!" GREGORIO went to get up to help the team figure out their next steps but EMMANUELLE had other plans. She had grabbed onto GREGORIO's shirt when they hadn't noticed. As she stood up, her shirt corner stay put in EMMY's little hand, GREGORIO sat back down. "It's okay, I'll stay here with you."

The team were back in the office, talking about who this mysterious woman could have been. Just as they start gathering hypotheses, PLAME comes in with the security footage from the school and the apartment complex.  
"You're not going to believe who it is!" PLAME was scared, worried, and astounded.  
He played the footage for the team, they watched as the person came into focus and her face turned to meet with the camera - Claire McDermott. The team hadn't seen or heard of her since they arrested her after she kidnapped GREGORIO. She was supposed to be in federal prison...not on the street of New Orleans, and especially not the prime suspect in the kidnapping of RAFAEL.

HANNAH and CARTER were on their way to the federal prison CLAIRE was supposed to be staying at. After a phone call with the head officer, they found out she had escaped. How that happened was exactly what the two were going to find out.  
"She complained of severe stomach pain. We took her to the infirmary, and the next day she was gone. She killed one of our guards and took their uniform. Walked right out of the front gate."  
HANNAH needed to know if there was any prior thought to this. How did she know EMMANUELLE was even connected to GREGORIO?  
"After she escaped, we went over her internet history. She had done a lot of searching of an AGENT GREGORIO, and also a MIGUEL and SARAH HERNANDEZ. Is that related to your case?"  
The two needed to get back. They knew it was related. CLAIRE took those kids.

Bored of the office and NCIS headquarters, GREGORIO took EMMY to a nearby playground to let off some energy - and she had lots of it. They had been there no more than a few minutes and she had already played on every piece of equipment at least once - most twice. The air was nice and cool, while the sun shone down enough to keep you warm. As GREGORIO watched the five year old run around and around the playground, moving from obstacle to obstacle, equipment to equipment, something changed. The sun that shone on her back was now cold. As she turned she was met with a man and his fist. She blocked it and managed to fight back - enough that she could get away and run towards EMMY. Another man was already running towards the girl and was closer. She tried to conjure up her inner Usain Bolt and beat this man to the girl. Her plan was ruined when she felt a piercing sting in her side. GREGORIO hadn't even heard the gunshot but she certainly felt the bullet. But it only put a dent in the plan. She kept going. By now, the first man that attacked her had caught up to her. She fought and fought, only giving up when she was knocked out by the butt of the mans gun. Hearing the five year old screaming her name, screaming for her, and she couldn't move. When she came to EMMY was no where to be seen. She called out for her even though she knew there would be no answer. She made a call to PRIDE to say something she never wanted to her herself say..."they took her."

The playground became crowded with spectators and looky-loos - people who wanted to know what the fuss was all about. PRIDE and the team arrived a few minutes after the call - using lights and sirens to speed through the crowd to make it to GREGORIO.  
LORETTA tended to GREGORIO's wounds, that's when GREGORIO showed her the secret weapon. She had snagged some of the man's hair. Hoping to get DNA LORETTA told SEBASTIAN to take it right away.  
"I didn't see anything. I should have done something better...fought harder..." GREGORIO second guessed herself. Logically, she knew it was redundant because she tried her hardest, but emotionally she felt she didn't do enough.  
"Everyone said you got shot and still kept fighting...I don't know what you're expecting but you're not superhuman." HANNAH tried to comfort her friend, though she felt she fell short.  
"Everyone said there were two gunshots. One when you got shot, and another a few moments later."  
"They said it sounded like it came from further away. It probably happened as they were driving away, but there hasn't been any gunshot victims turn up at any hospitals in the last hour."

Back at HQ the team went over why CLAIRE would target EMMANUELLE and her brother. What good would that do? SEBASTIAN came up on the screen.  
"The DNA on the hair belongs to Jack Hanover. He was in prison with CLAIRE and got out a few weeks before she escaped. He was on her visitor logs too."  
So she got the help of prison friends to get the job done, but why? No one knew why.  
"It's because of me." GREGORIO felt a pit in her stomach. "She did it to get back at me.  
"I've got the video." PLAME said as he wheeled himself in quickly, unaware of the happenings just moments before. Time was of the essence and this footage needed to be seen right away. As it played, the team realised what was so important. Running towards the car that the kidnappers went to, she was shot and dragged into the car too. And the team knew her.   
"Eva."

GREGORIO was up late trying to find a reason for all of this. Why would Claire have come after EMMY? Where was RAFFY? Was he with EMMY now? GREGORIO liked that idea, as much as she hated she wasn't there with them, at least she knew EMMY was in good hands and would feel almost safe. The thought was interrupted by the question of what CLAIRE would do to the two of them.  
"Have you even go to sleep?" SEBASTIAN had appeared at the doorway, giving GREGORIO a fright.  
"No. I can't sleep. I have to find her."  
SEBASTIAN had seen her like this once before. Last time CLAIRE got into GREGORIO's head and she was doing it all over again. How could one woman have such a grip over one of the strongest people he knew?  
"We're going to find her TAMMY."  
"No, I need to find her. I can't lose her again."  
"You didn't. They took her."  
"Look, I don't expect you to understand okay, but it's my fault. All of it. I should have seen the abuse, I should have seen the signs, I should have stopped it. I should have known they were in New Orleans, I should have tried harder to keep in touch. And most of all, I should have killed CLAIRE when I had the chance."  
"TAMMY," SEBASTIAN grabbed her by the wrist, worried for his best friend, "it's okay, I'll help you."  
And just like that, as if she had a bug in the room, GREGORIO's phone rang. It was RAFFY's number.  
"Hello," GREGORIO answered, hoping it would be RAFFY and it was a mistake.  
"Tammy Tammy Tammy. Look what you've done." The voice was all too familiar.  
"Just let them go. You can have me. Let them go."  
"Now now, what good is that? How can I teach you a lesson if you don't suffer?"  
"Please..." GREGORIO would have given her life for that kid.  
"No no. First you have to tell them who she really is. Let the pain of the secret go."  
"Let me talk to them. Let me talk to EMMY."  
"No. Truth first."  
And just like that she was gone. No proof that she even had the kids and EVA or that they were alive. Not until a few seconds later. Three images sent to her phone. She opened them right away but as soon as she did, she regretted it. EVA, RAFFY, and EMMY were taken. Bound and gagged. GREGORIO wondered why EVA hadn't done anything. She was a Russian spy after all. How hard could one psychopathic woman be?  
"What did she mean about telling the truth?" SEBASTIAN asked his best friend - a secret that he didn't know?  
"Uh..." GREGORIO looked at the mess around her, documents and files - the life of a five year old. And she knew she had to tell him. "So you know how SARAH used an egg donor to get EMMY?"  
SEBASTIAN nodded.  
"Well," each word felt like an eternity to say, "I was that egg donor."  
The silence that filled the room filled the pit in GREGORIO's stomach. What did he think of her? Did he want her off the case? Did he think less of her? Does he blame her the way she blames herself? He finally spoke,  
"I mean...okay."  
"Okay? That's all you have to say?"  
"What do you want me to say? You dropped a pretty big bomb on me."  
"I didn't plan on it."  
"We have to tell the team."  
GREGORIO knew he was right, but she didn't want to be the one to tell them. But she didn't want anyone else to tell them either.

The team gathered in the office much before sunrise, no one had rested well and everyone was eager to get back and help out. Their faces a mix of still sleepy, wrinkled with papers they had fallen asleep on in the kitchen, and worry.  
The images that had haunted GREGORIO just a few moments ago, were now on the screen for everyone to see.  
"Her lips are blue, it doesn't look good..." HANNAH said just loud enough for PRIDE to hear beside her, but not loud enough for GREGORIO to know her worry.  
"What did she say?" PRIDE asked, unaware of what he was about to be told. Even a PRIDE-deep background check hadn't revealed this.  
"She told me it was my fault and I had to tell you the truth."  
"What truth?" CARTER asked, sipping a coffee to keep him awake - and to make him more bearable for everyone else.  
"I'm EMMY's biological mother," GREGORIO didn't look at the team, "I'm the one who donated my eggs to SARAH."  
There was silence in the room, before another phone call. Again, RAFFY. Again, CLAIRE.  
"Tammy, did you tell your team?"  
"Yes, I did. Let them go."  
"You know that's not how this works." The screams of a small child heard from the background.  
GREGORIO tried hard not to cry, "Please. Stop. What do you want?"  
"What do I want? I want you to go back in time. Maybe if you hadn't left DC for your job in NCIS, maybe poor EMMY wouldn't have had to go through all that suffering. How could you prioritise her over your work TAMMY? All those nights she left home trying to find you? Remember that? Did you think she stopped just because you came to New Orleans? How could you let her be hurt and scared and alone..."  
"I didn't know. I didn't know she was being hurt."  
Again, the screams travelled through the phone.  
"Don't worry, I'll rid her of her pain."  
And that was it. She was gone. But unknown to CLAIRE, she had reminded GREGORIO of a secret that was going to tell them exactly where they were.  
GREGORIO turned to PLAME, "I know where they are, I need your help."  
"Okay?" How could he help, he wondered.  
"EMMY used to run away all the time in DC, trying to come see me. So I bought her a GPS watch. It goes on her arm and it looks just like a normal watch. And when she was here, she had it on. You can track it. I have the app. But there's a problem." GREGORIO hoped it wasn't a problem for PLAME, "it only works in a certain radius so if they're too far away it won't show...  
"On it!" PLAME grabbed GREGORIO's phone and hooked it up to a GPS device that allowed the signal to go all over Louisiana. And a single dot popped up.  
"There!" HANNAH was the first to spot it.  
"All right, lets go." PRIDE beckoned the team to follow him. They loaded up, ready to go to war. No criminal need survive. "Now, I'm not having you going all cowboy out there okay?" PRIDE said to GREGORIO before they left, unsure if he could truly trust her to keep a level head.  
"I'll be fine." GREGORIO lied.  
The car ride felt like it took two hours, but it only took ten minutes. They arrived at an abandoned navy base - how fitting - and followed the GPS signal on their phones. They made their way closer and closer to the dot on their screens. 

SEBASTIAN and PRIDE entered into a cold, damp, pillared room. EVA is tied to the pole with duct tape, and rope; she's unconscious. A small needle mark is found on her arm, PRIDE deduces she was most likely given a sedative. After checking for a pulse - strong and steady, despite a bullet wound - they keep looking for EMMY.

HANNAH, GREGORIO, and CARTER enter another area, much the same as the first. They find RAFFY, he has tape over his mouth.  
"She went out there!" He tells them, nodding outside. As CARTER and GREGORIO start chasing down CLAIRE, HANNAH stays with RAFFY to help him and keep him safe.  
"Is there anyone else here?" HANNAH asked  
"No, there was. But she shot them. Right in front of EMMY." RAFFY tries not to cry but it's too much. The thought of his little sister all alone watching them die, while being hurt herself. He could hear her crying out for him, for TAMMY, for EVA, but no one came. And that broke his heart.  
CARTER and GREGORIO find the car and see CLAIRE get in, they hear the engine start. GREGORIO runs to the door and yanks out CLAIRE, no care for any injuries she receives from the concrete ground below. Without missing a second, she starts to beat her profusely. Getting out all her anger from the past few years.

SEBASTIAN and PRIDE enter a room, where a small body lays. She's unconscious and has a weak pulse. SEBASTIAN starts performing CPR, hoping to god he doesn't lose her. How would GREGORIO ever forgive him? HANNAH and RAFFY have joined them now, with HANNAH running out to get GREGORIO. She finds GREGORIO on the ground, on top of CLAIRE, with CARTER standing to the side.  
"GREGORIO! TAMMY!" HANNAH tried to catch her attention, "We've found her. She needs you TAMMY!"  
It's enough to get her to stop. She gets up, leaving a severely beaten CLAIRE to CARTER's devices. As GREGORIO turns her back, CLAIRE crawls to the car. Reaching for the seat, *BANG* *BANG*, the gunshots echo in the abandoned building. CARTER shot CLAIRE in the head. There's no coming back from that. 'Now she won't be able to hurt anyone else' CARTER thought to himself.  
GREGORIO ran in to find SEBASTIAN breathing into her child's mouth. GREGORIO ran up to her and held her hand. She begged for anyone who was listening - God, a saint, a ghost - to help. 'Just hold on' GREGORIO thought.   
The EMT's had finally arrived, they didn't have the luxury of speeding quite the way the NCIS team did. They took over from SEBASTIAN and began pumping oxygen into the tiny body on the ground. After a few seconds, she coughed. And she kept coughing. As soon as she was alert enough, she began fighting the mask on her face.  
"No, it's okay. EM, it's okay. It's to help you breathe. It's okay. I'm here. I'm right here"  
And it was the first time GREGORIO had really been able to look at her in the eye. And the fear she saw broke her heart, she couldn't help but cry.

GREGORIO was stuck in the hospital bed with EMMY. She wasn't allowed to go anywhere. Not by doctors orders, but by EMMY. She was stuck to GREGORIO like glue. She hadn't been able to go to the bathroom without EMMY right there. But she understood. And she felt lucky, to know she was safe for EMMY was an accomplishment. EVA was sat beside them, in a wheelchair - although she claimed she was fine - with stitches in her stomach from where the bullet had hit her.  
"I'm so sorry I didn't save her." EVA told GREGORIO.  
"It's okay. You tried your hardest...." GREGORIO wanted to know, "How did you even know who she was?"  
"Well, after a while Montana isn't all that it's cracked up to be. I missed you so I came to New Orleans. And I saw this boy outside your work. I saw him with a little girl and he pointed at your office, he told her that was where her mommy worked. She looked just like you. I knew..." EVA let the sentence finish itself. "And so I figured out who they were and asked if they wanted to be kept safe and so I became her nanny."  
"Her teacher said she really likes her nanny."  
"I'd like to think so."  
Just as the two were getting back to old times, the glisten in their eye was diminished.  
"I can come back if you're busy..." SEBASTIAN hovered at the door, hoping he wouldn't be asked to come back. He only had so much nerve to ask what he needed and if he had to wait any longer he may never ask. And then he would just worry.  
"No, no. I'll go. I'm sure they're wondering where I've got to. Supposed to be on bed rest and all that." EVA wheeled herself out of the room and down the hall.  
SEBASTIAN took her place on a seat next to the bed.  
"Look, I know a lots happened and you're busy and probably overwhelmed, but I just need to ask and know. Okay?"  
GREGORIO was worried, was her best friend kicking her out?  
"Is she going back to RAFFY?"  
"No, I told him he needed to focus on his school work. Get his degree, be a kid for once."  
"And what about EVA?"  
"Well, I figured she could stay around and help out. EMMY does like her a lot."  
"Does that mean...she's staying with you..." SEBASTIAN motions to EMMY sat in the bed.  
"Yeah, it does..." GREGORIO was ready for him to kick her out now. After all, a child wasn't on the rent agreement.  
"Does it mean you're going to leave NCIS?" SEBASTIAN asked, just as worried as GREGORIO was.  
"No. I love what we do. I love our work. I might need a few weeks to get sorted. But no."  
"And what about your house? Are you going to find a new one?"  
GREGORIO hesitated, "I was hoping I could continue to live with you..."  
"Of course!" SEBASTIAN was elated. He didn't want to lose his best friend and roommate. "I don't have any rooms set up for a kid though..."  
"It's okay," GREGORIO assured him, nodding to where EMMY had a tight grip of her shirt, "I don't think she's going to want to sleep in her own room for a bit."  
After all SEBASTIAN's worries were eased, the calmness filled the room. Then more worry set in.  
"What if she doesn't like me?"  
"Are you kidding me?" GREGORIO couldn't believe the question. "You saw her room. Space, dinosaurs, and arcade games. You're two peas in a pod."  
SEBASTIAN smiled at the knowledge that GREGORIO trusted he would get along with EMMY fine, and that not only did he get to keep his best friend, he gained another roommate.

CARTER was waiting in the office with HANNAH. The two worried about what was going to come of PRIDE's conversation with the district attorney.  
"Okay, thank you. You too. Bye." PRIDE ended the call and made his way into the office. Staring at the two, "CARTER, a word."  
Surely this wasn't good, CARTER thought. He tried to think of other ideas for a career. Knowing he would still do the same thing if he knew the outcome.  
"Upon review, we didn't find any gun in the car." PRIDE had to break the news to CARTER, that the investigation was over. Was he cleared? "Considering the events, and the fear they believe you felt, they've decided not to press charges."  
CARTER takes a sigh of relief.  
"I do need to know," PRIDE continues, "Why you shot her. I can't have a gun-wild agent on my team."  
"You saw the photo. You heard her crying. I saw GREGORIO's file too. This lady wasn't going to stop. I know I'm not a judge, jury, or executioner - and boy do I know how it is to have a cop fire willy-nilly because they're 'scared', but I just couldn't let that happen. This is a kid who went through hell, and she knew that. And she didn't care."  
"Okay. Well, how about you take a few days. Go have a social life. Explore the city. Come back refreshed."  
"Thank you sir." CARTER was glad his punishment was to get a few days off. A few days to think. He knew EMMY's punishment would be longer and much worse. He didn't know how she could still laugh and smile after everything she had been through, but he knew, with as little information as he had, that was definitely her mother showing in her. Resilient and brave as can be.

CARTER joined the team at the hospital for pizza. As he walked in the room was loud and full of life. And in the corner was a small girl, wearing headphones, on an iPad. Disinterested in the social gathering before her. He quite liked her - she enjoyed her own company much like he did, but wanted to be apart of the fun even if she wasn't involved in it. The room filled with laughter and stories and good times. The nurses came by for their own slices of pizza as they checked in to make sure EMMY was okay. And it was then that GREGORIO realised how lucky she was. She would never ever be alone again.


End file.
